Clause 39 - Verifying information provided
Identity Cards Bill
5:30 pm
Mr Richard Allan (Shadow Spokesperson for the Cabinet Office, Cabinet Office; Sheffield, Hallam, Liberal Democrat)
It would be helpful to have a brief moment of clarification. Clause 39 potentially heralds a comprehensive change in the way that information provided for the purpose of applying for passports can be checked and cross-referenced with other Government Departments and agencies. I want it to be made clear that that is the purpose of the clause. The explanatory notes say that it echoes provisions under clause 11 under which such information is available for ID cards and the national identity card register. I want to be absolutely clear and make sure that we have on the record the fact that, when a person applies for a passport and regulations are brought in under the clause, there will be significant additional cross-checking with other Departments than that which currently takes place.
It is important as we consider the clauses that we can explore fully and precisely what they mean, so that citizens are aware of what they will do and, when we reach our final judgment on the Bill, we will know about all the changes that will take place. The clause is significant in that the passport procedure is one in which 80 per cent. of the population currently go through. People will want to know if, under the Bill, when they apply for a passport, cross checks will be made with other Departments about the information that they have supplied to the Passport Service.